CINCINNATI -- Mary Jean Morano lost her son years ago around Christmastime, but she still manages to celebrate the magic of the holiday season thanks to one local organization.
The 88-year-old is one of 65 men and women who enjoyed The Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly Christmas Party Saturday.
This is Morano’s sixth Christmas Eve celebration with The Little Brothers.
"I get a little sad at Christmas because I lost a son also, and he's looking down, sitting next to grandpa up there saying, ‘Gee mom -- you're having a good time… Good,’” Morano said.
Ricky Snow with The Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly said their mission is to relieve “isolation and loneliness among the elderly” in the Cincinnati area.
“We work with elders above the age of 65 that either don't have family or other social contact, or they're very estranged from that social contact,” Snow said. “So we just give them that socialization by having them out to parties like this."
Nellie Bryant also attended Saturday’s festivities.
"It's beautiful,” Bryant said. “It's somewhere to go, and somewhere to be entertained at all times... night and day and you'll be rested when you go back home."
Snow said his favorite part of the holiday party is knowing he made a difference for people who would not otherwise have a Christmas celebration.
"It's that internal gratification because you know that you're helping to make these people's lives better,” Snow said.
